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Candidate profile: Joe Rice

Contributed by: Joe Rice on 10/11/2006

My name: Joe Rice

Office I'm running for: State House, District 38

Age: 39

My family: Wife, Kendall - married 16 years. Children, Harrison and Alexandria - 6 year old twins; and Dalton - 15 months.

What I do: Joe Rice has unique combination of skills and experience that make him well suited for service as our State Representative. Above all, Joe is a husband and father to three young children. He has lived in Arapahoe County for almost 20 years; and he has served our community and our nation for 22 years in the Colorado National Guard and Army Reserve, including 2 tours in Iraq where he was awarded the Bronze Star Medal for his combat service and where his work was observed and praised by former U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell. Joe's private sector experience includes over 10 years working as a trainer and supervisor for MCI, JDEdwards, and Wells Fargo. He presently works as a training and management consultant. Other community service includes work with a variety of youth and educational organizations, and experience as the 2-term Mayor of Glendale, which is in Arapahoe County as is State House District 38. As Glendale Mayor, Joe fought the expansion of strip clubs, and worked with a sometimes controversial City Council to attract quality businesses to the city, cut taxes, build the city's first pre-school, and tripled the amount parks and open space. Because of his ability to rise above partisan bickering and political games; and because of his ability to build consensus and get things done, Joe is endorsed by a wide variety of community and business leaders, including Democrats, Republicans, and Independents alike.

My favorite place in town to hang out: Historic (and fun!) downtown Littleton

What I like most about living here: Our great Colorado quality of life - the mountains, the great outdoors, etc.

My interests and hobbies: Spending time with family and friends; sports; jogging

What is my favorite thing to cook: Anything that's not an Army MRE!

People who inspired me (and how): My 5th, 7th, and a 12th Grade Teachers: Taught me, and taught me to believe in myself

COL Ray Z: Taught me what it means to be a man, and to be a leader

My family and my friends: They continue to teach and remind me of the reasons for living

How I have contributed to the community:

Mayor, City of Glendale, 1996-2003: Elected to two 4-year terms as mayor of the City of Glendale (also in Arapahoe County). Joe resigned during the last year of his 2nd term due to being called-up for active military service in Iraq. As mayor, Joe...

• Attracted quality business to the city while cutting taxes and balancing the budget
• Tripled the amount of parks, trails, and open space in the city
• Built the city's first pre-school and Recreation Center
• Key supporter of important metro-area and Arapahoe County initiatives, including FasTracks, the Scientific and Cultural Facilities District (SCFD), and Arapahoe County Open Space
• Selected for several metro-area leadership positions, including the Executive Committee of the Denver Regional Council of Governments and Vice Chair of the Denver Metro Mayors Caucus
• Recipient of the 2004 Christensen Award by the Denver Regional Council of Governments for outstanding contributions to local government and regionalism

Lieutenant Colonel, United States Army Reserve, including 2 combat tours in Iraq. Since the question often comes up, if elected, Joe will be able to serve his full-term as State Representative. Based on Army policies, including how many tours he has served since 9/11, Joe will not have to return to Iraq while the legislature is in session.

Joe served two tours in Iraq: March 2003 to May 2004, where he was the senior military officer charged to set up and advise the first democratically selected Baghdad City Council; and October 2005 to February 2006 where he was assigned to advise on interactions between coalition military units and Iraqi civilians.

Joe's other deployments include serving as a special staff officer to the Commanding General for UN/NATO peacekeeping operations in Bosnia-Herzegovina following their civil war. Joe is Airborne and Ranger qualified. His numerous awards include the Combat Action Badge, the Expert Infantryman's Badge, and the Bronze Star.

Volunteer, Big Brothers of Metro Denver. Joe has been a mentor and friend with a developmentally challenged, exceptional young man, since 1994. As Joe's friend turned 18 years ago, they are no longer "officially" in the program, but have maintained regular contact throughout the years.

Coordinator, Baghdad-Denver Region Partnership. Joe is the unpaid, volunteer, coordinator for this cultural and professional exchange program of Sister Cities International. Activities include shipping school and medical supplies to Iraq, as well as hosting 5 delegations of Iraqi government, business, education, and non-profit leaders on visits to Colorado. The program is about people, not politics, and participants have all different views on the war itself. Participants include numerous private citizens, groups like Rotary and United Way, and officials like Senator Ken Salazar, Congressmen Mark Udall, Congressman Bob Beauprez, and Lieutenant Governor Jane Norton.

What are the biggest issues facing my district now:

1. Public Safety. Government's first responsibility is to ensure public safety; to prevent and protect us from crime, to prepare for natural disasters, to ensure homeland security, and to ensure fair, humane, and strict enforcement of our immigration laws.

2. Economic Security. Individuals, families, and businesses are stretched by escalating health care costs, rising gas and energy prices, and uncertainly in maintaining a good quality of life throughout their careers and into retirement; Colorado must retain its position as a low tax state while also working to ensure a positive business climate, gain control over health care costs, invest in new energy technologies, and invest in critical public infrastructure such as roads, schools, and higher education.

3. Preserving and enhancing our quality of life. We must work to ensure future generations inherit a beautiful state - a state with clean land, clean air, and clean water. We must maintain, preserve, and expand, our network of parks, trails, and open space. We should make Colorado a leader in environmental preservation and alternative energy technologies. This is good for our environment, our economy, and our quality of life.

Editor's note: YourHub.com is seeking candidate profiles for the upcoming November elections. If you have any questions, please contact Kevin Hamm at 303-954-5315. All profiles will be run in the print edition in October. To see more candidate profiles as well as general election information, click here.


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